Updates

While I have been a little under the weather recovering from a minor surgical procedure last week, I have been looking at some unfinished business.  So let me cover a couple of updates in this post before the night gets away from me.

1. Still nothing official from SNAP.  The post that I put up over the summer took off and inspired an impressive number of comments, some of which I could not put up on the blog.  David Clohessy promised to get back with me over some issues.  But that did not happen.  I have been reading the SNAP site a little more closely and I have some comments that will form the basis of a separate post very soon. The only “SNAPper” I heard from was “Bob” in MN.  Bob, a real pit bull of a fellow, was quick to pick a fight but even quicker to reveal himself to be a bully.  In the interest of full disclosure, I did call him a “moron” in an email.  (Horrors!).  I did see one of his “movies” making fun of and attacking a victim of clergy sexual crimes.  I was impressed at the fact that a SNAP “Leader” was attacking a victim, it seems to show the mettle of the man and the organization.
2. “Father” Virgil  Tetherow,  you may know him by a myriad of other names, seems to have taken up residence with a family in Dover, Pennsylvania after his “removal” from his position at the schismatic Sts. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission in York, Pennsylvania.  A reader, familiar with that area in Pennsylvania, reports that Tetherow has told the locals that he  is “between churches”.  Interesting concept considering the shortage of priests in the Catholic Church.  For a moment I think he may have forgotten that he was forbidden from representing himself as a priest or ministering.  I guess that has slipped his mind and I bet he has not let his little home bound flock know that he has a past criminal record.  According to my source he is saying mass in the home for a small community of “faithful” in the home in which he is a guest.  Does the Diocese of Harrisburg track this guy?  Does the Diocese of Scranton?  He is one of their rogue priests after all!
3. No word yet on my defection request from the Catholic Church.  The request went to the Diocese of Brooklyn about a month ago.  An official with the Diocese of Scranton acknowledged the receipt of a copy of my request, but they cannot act on it.  I am waiting on Bishop  “Nicky the Don” DiMarzio to set me free.  A second request will be going out by registered mail tomorrow.
4. I am retooling the letter I sent to the U.S. Attorney in Pennsylvania requesting an investigation into the Diocese of Scranton and the support for predator priests in that See at the expense of victims and at considerable, albeit hidden, costs to the parishioners in the Diocese.  More on that in an upcoming post
5. The Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Diocese of Scranton has asked me to come meet the bishop.  I would like for her to offer me a reason on why I should make the trip.  What exactly is the Bishop willing to do.  If the offer is for me to sit and explain my feelings and tell him what happened, I recommend you let him read my blog.  If he wants to offer to make a real and significant change in the way the Diocese deals with survivors, I am willing to have the conversation.
6. I am looking at options to set up a blog roll for people who put out blogs like this one.  I will have more once I have the technology issues resolved.

That is all for the moment.  I have a day before I return to work .  Starting in October I have an ambitious travel schedule over a 10 month window  for a leadership program I am participating in related to my job.  I hope some of the things I pick up there I can apply here.  Maybe I can recommend some training to the leadership of SNAP.